Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, days 1072a-1085a (alternating): Everyone's been on edge, waiting for the day Brittany will go into labor, well... the day has come. - Paper Heart series
1. Step 44, Find Patience

_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 51st cycle. Now cycle 52!_

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_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Overshine._

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**"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"  
Brittany, Kurt, Santana, Brittana, & others  
Paper Heart series  
_(all series now listed under the communities tab in my profile)_**

**1. Step Forty-Four, Find Patience**

His father had all but needed to stop him from setting up camp on the nursery floor so he could be nearby, or call in sick to school. Brittany's due date had come and gone and, four days later there was still no sign of the baby boy wanting to leave his mother's womb. Now another morning had rolled around, and as they all sat to breakfast he was looking at the blonde time bomb with the look which would prompt his father telling him that, yes, he was going to school.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Kurt asked her as he followed her up the stairs. As careful as she was about it, he couldn't help shadowing her on the ascent.

"Yes, Kurt," she told him, going back into her room, picking up her book, iPod, and blanket before starting back down. Kurt zipped by her so to be ahead of her on the descent.

"I could have gotten those for you," he pointed out, and she stopped. His eyes snapped. "What? Is it time?" he asked.

"Go down," she pointed down the stairs.

"Dad?" he called out. "It's okay, we…"

"No, stop, it's not…" Burt came bursting through from the kitchen. "It's not time!" she sighed. "Just go down and let me come down on my own, please? You're stressing me out," she told him, and he breathed out.

"I just don't want you to get…" he started, then getting her point, he bowed out, going down the steps. Once he was down, she carried on down. "Sorry," he told her and her smile returned.

"I get that you're worried, and it's really nice to know how much you're here for us, just…"

"Relax, got it," he nodded, and she hugged him.

"Alright…" Burt was still coming down the previous panic. "Come on, I'll drive you to school," he told his son, who went to get his things, before turning to the girl. "Nicely done," he told her, and she beamed, heading into the living room. She got comfortable on the couch, where she could get a hold of anything she needed. She looked up, seeing Kurt stop in the door for a beat, decide against whatever he was going to say or do, and just wave at her. She waved back with a smile, watching him go.

She was feeling good today. She couldn't explain it, she had just woken up that morning and she felt great, energized… The fact that her due date had come and gone was curious to her, of course, but it didn't really trouble her. She was a good home for him, so if he didn't want to leave yet…

She didn't want to worry, not now. Even the delivery, all of it, she'd put it aside… If she was so worried, then he might feel it, and then no wonder he wouldn't come out. So she went with confidence, and with the belief that when the time would come, they'd all be ready, and then he would be born, and she could hold him in her arms… She knew he was in there, could feel him constantly, but he was still unseen… The sonograms couldn't possibly compare to looking at him, really him, in the flesh, an actual little person that would look like her and Kurt…

Until he was ready to be born though, all she could do was wait for him, and so she did. She sat there with her blanket, and her music, and her book, and she would wait out the day. She didn't have lessons today, so she would read a while, do her homework, try and do her exercises… She couldn't wait until the end of the day, when Kurt and Burt would return, keep her company… Hopefully Santana would drop by, too.

At McKinley, once he'd been dropped off, Kurt could finally check his phone for messages from home without being accused of being some kind of lunatic who couldn't keep it together. What did they expect though? It could be today, at any time… He would get the call and he would know he was about to become a father. There was no way he could stay calm, not with that hanging over his head the whole time. He was pretty sure he hadn't retained a single thing in the last week of classes. This was just another reason for him to stay at home with her… He was useless here, whereas at home he could at least look after her, even if he apparently drove her crazy. At least she got why he did it. And he wasn't alone.

He met up with Santana in the hall. She had been unusually quiet these last few days, and even if he had a pretty good idea why, he didn't call her up on it. It was her business, he'd said what he had to say, now the ball was in her court and pushing would help no one, least of all her. Still, she wasn't completely shut down.

"How's she doing?" she asked when she saw him coming.

"She's fine, she's great… Kind of bossy," he told her, and Santana had to smile.

"Good," she nodded. "She knows I'm not here this afternoon, right?"

"You're not here this afternoon?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.

"I told you about this, I have to go with my parents to see a doctor, the insurance thing? Don't see why I have to go, but apparently I have no say in the matter."

"I'll remind her if she's looking for you," he promised.

"Thanks," she told him before they parted ways, headed to two different classes. As he stopped at his locker, he was approached by Will.

"Kurt, good morning," the teacher smiled.

"I'm fine," Kurt frowned, picking books from his locker and slipping them into his bag.

"Your mind went right there, didn't it?" Will sighed.

"Seeing as anything people want to know these days is how I am and how Brittany is, it was a safe bet," he explained flatly.

"Well then I guess I'll see you for Glee this afternoon," he patted the boy on the shoulder. "Should do you some good."

"Yeah, sure…" Kurt managed a smile for him before moving along down the hall.

He knew Schuester was right. He needed to snap out of 'imminent fatherhood' mode, even for just an hour or so. If he was like this now, he wasn't sure what to think of what he might be like once the baby was born and it was actually up to him and Brittany to take care of him…

On his way down the halls and even as he got to class he got more of his friends coming up to him and asking after Brittany. He told them what he could tell them, that she was fine and there was nothing to really say for now, but that once there was something, he'd make sure to let them know.

Until then he sat in his place, his phone in plain view on his desk, his books taken out, even if he didn't expect to even feint to open them like he could pay attention, and so began the day.

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)


	2. Step 45, Ring the Alarm

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Something Old, Something New._

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**"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"**

**2. Step Forty-Five, Ring the Alarm**

The day wasn't going nearly as well as she would have hoped. She felt so happy and energized, so by that logic, the day should match it. Except all she had done through the morning and the afternoon so far was sit, read, eat, exercise… and now she was bored. That wasn't right, not for a day like today. If she was in school right now it would almost be time for Glee…

It would almost be time for Glee… if she was in school right now…

The idea gave her a twinge of excitement, and as much as she could hear them tell her not to do it, right now there was nothing more she would rather do… She felt like she should be there…

She had gone and gotten changed, grabbed her things, and she was out the door. She went and waited for the bus, counting the stops as they went once she got on. Finally though there was McKinley out the window, and she got out, feeling like she hadn't been here in ages. It had been something like four months, since the last school year had ended. As she went through the door, she almost felt like she'd forgotten this place.

The people she crossed in the halls would stare, but she paid them no attention. She knew where she was going as she approached the choir room, she could hear Mr. Schuester talking, so the period must have started. She smiled, anxious to see their faces when they'd see her.

"Brittany?" Tina's voice made her look up, and she realized she'd been standing just inside the door, so they could see her.

"Surprise…" she still said, smiling. Kurt was on his feet in a flash.

"What… what are you doing here? Are you okay?" he came up to her.

"I was bored," she explained. "I really wanted to see you guys," she looked to the rest of them. "So I took the bus, and here I am. Didn't even get lost this time." Kurt looked like he'd forgotten how to speak, but Will stepped in.

"It's good to see you in this room again, Brittany. You can sit in and watch, but when we're done I'm driving you home, alright?" he told her, and she nodded. With that settled she could go and sit, being greeted by the rest of the club. She didn't know who was happier to see who… On the other hand, she had sort of forgotten until just now that Santana wouldn't be there… It took away from her joy at being here, though only a little… She would see her after.

"Why didn't you call me?" Kurt asked as Will spoke to the group about the week's assignment. She shrugged.

"It was a surprise," she smiled. "Plus now that I'm here you don't have to worry so much," she pointed out, and he smiled. "So, come on, how was your day?"

"It was… uneventful, same as usual," he told her, and she let out a breath.

"Me too, I couldn't just sit there anymore, so…"

"Guys?" Will's voice brought them out of conversation. "If you're going to be here you need to pay attention," he gave a kind warning, tipping his head.

"Sorry," Brittany smiled, and Will continued. They had started working through a group number together at the last rehearsal and, though they were one member short at the moment, with Santana being away, they had to go on nonetheless. And on that day they would have a captive audience of one, now that Brittany was there. They did their song as a dedication to her.

Brittany was really glad she'd decided to come down here. She had missed this so much. She'd see all the little things they would do… It made her laugh, especially as they took the opportunity of having her there to goof off and make her laugh.

The one song had led into Will and Mike taking them through the choreography one more time, which tested Brittany's temptation to get up and help them. She managed to resist, though if she'd catch someone's eye, she'd start miming the moves to them.

Finn had been taking advantage of this maneuver more than anyone, so it was him who first caught on to the fact that she'd stopped paying attention to them. She sat there, stock-still, with a hand to her belly, like she was waiting for something… and then she squeezed her eyes shot, gasping.

"Brittany?" he spoke, then understanding, "Wait, guys, hold up!" he raised his voice, to get the others' attention. When the voices and music died away, her breaths became audible, and they turned at once. Kurt skidded through and came to her side.

"At the risk of coming off as a nag ag…"

"I don't know…" she breathed. "Feels like it did when I had the ones that weren't real," she shook her head, taking his hand nonetheless.

"Alright, everyone back up," Will made his way through the huddle, crouching next to the pair of them. "Just in case, let's get you to the nurse until we know for sure, okay?" he told them, nodding along.

"Okay," she nodded back, taking the hand the teacher offered. Will and Kurt helped her stand, but then she hadn't even taken one step when she stopped again, gripping both of their arms and looking down. "I think… is that… am I…" she looked up to Quinn, the only one she could know to have a definite answer.

"I'm calling 911," she took out her phone.

"Brittany, can you walk?" Will asked her.

"Sure, since I was a kid…" she breathed deep.

"He means right now," Kurt told her, and so she nodded.

"I'll drive you to the hospital," Will told the two of them, helping Kurt to walk Brittany along.

"We're coming after you, okay?" Rachel called to them, and Kurt looked over his shoulder and nodded to her as those with cars started to divvy up passengers.

"My… my parents," Brittany looked to Kurt.

"Someone call her parents," he fished her phone out of her pocket and turned to toss it. Mike caught it. "My dad, too, the number's in there, speed dial seven, her father is number two."

"Santana… Santana, too," Brittany told him as they passed the doors.

"Speed dial three," Kurt told Mike.

"It's okay, I got that one," Quinn told him.

"I'm not scared… I'm not scared…" Kurt could hear Brittany mumbling. He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Everything's going to be okay," he swore. "We'll be right there with you. This is what we've been preparing for." After a few more seconds letting his words sink in, she looked calmer.

"Kurt… It's his birthday today," she looked to him with a smile. He let out a nervous breath… Now where was his promise he didn't have to be scared either?

TO BE CONTINUED (SUNDAY)


	3. Step 46, Choose Honesty

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Back in the Days of..._

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**"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"**

**3. Step Forty-Six, Choose Honesty**

She would have taken a solid barking from Coach Sylvester better than having to sit through that whole appointment with her parents. When they'd left and driven off back home she just felt released. Her mother informed her that they would be having dinner in a couple of hours. Santana just dragged herself up toward the stairs to go to her room and see about her history paper.

Her hand was out to tap on to the ramp when she heard her phone ping. She pulled it from her pocket and was about to climb the first step when her eyes swept across the screen and caught on to one word: Brittany. She stopped and read it out. It was from Quinn.

'_Brittany is in labor. Taking to hospital. She's asking for you. Come.'_

Why it was coming from Quinn, who'd be at school, when Brittany was supposed to be home, didn't cross her mind. What she felt in that instant was… elation. She felt something swell in her like impossible joy at the thought of the baby…

As quickly as it had come, it was dislodged by something else, something she'd been too comfortable to put off. She was supposed to do this a long time ago, only… she hadn't, and now here they were, and her precious ultimatum had been for naught because she was nowhere nearer… But now this was it, the edge of the cliff. She would either speak up or she'd hold her tongue and suffer for it.

Looking at her phone, she thought about… everything, about the last nine months, and she would swear she'd felt a proper click, her brain telling her… grow up, today's the day. She gave her phone a squeeze before slipping it back in her pocket and turning to walk back toward the kitchen. As she approached, she could hear the repetitive click of her mother's knife as she chopped vegetables.

"Where's Dad?" she stopped at the threshold.

"Basement," her mother absently waved. Santana moved to the door and opened it.

"Dad, come up here, please?" she called down, making sure he'd hear, and it pulled a startled curse out of her mother.

"What's gotten into you?" she asked. A moment later, Mr. Lopez came up the stairs.

"What…" he started, and Santana let out a breath, looking to them both. She didn't have much time, couldn't mess around… and still she had to choose her words right, say what she had to say.

"I need to talk to you, both of you, and all I ask is that you let me say it, without interrupting, okay?"

"Are you okay? You're not sick, are you?" her mother asked.

"I'm fine, just… listen, please." She held for a beat, seeing that they were doing as asked. "I wish I had more time, I… I have to do this now. Brittany is… in labor, right now, they're taking her to the hospital right now. And I'm going down there now to be with her, not because she's my friend, my best friend… I'm going because I love her, and I need to be with her. I say 'love,' I mean I love her, the way you two love each other, because that's who I am, I… I'm gay… Took me a lot of time to accept it for myself, but I know it's no mistake. And today, today Brittany is going to give birth to a little boy, and I might not be his mom, not in any way, because… I haven't even owned up to her… But all I know is I want to be in his life. He's part of her, and she's part of me, and… whatever happens, I can't do that to him, I can't just be there to care for him behind closed doors, it wouldn't be fair to him, to Brittany, and Kurt… and it wouldn't be fair to me… So, I'm going to go and be with her, and I hope… you and me, we'll be… okay…"

She didn't know how long she'd been talking, the words just came like they'd been waiting to come and now they wouldn't be stopped. When she did stop, they were done… until her mother and father would say something, and then they'd know what to say next. She watched her mother look to her father, and whatever went on in their eyes, her father stood and came to stand before her.

"Do you need a ride?" he asked, touching her cheek with a breath. It pulled a gasp from her, a smile and a tear. As rushed as she was, she had to take a moment and look to each of their faces, their eyes, and see… they were with her, just as always… Now she could do it, she could go, she knew.

"Yes, please," she told him. She could imagine the load of information she'd just unloaded on them wouldn't come without questions eventually, but in no way did she feel anything bad about it. She had taken a step, and she was proud, she was…

Telling them, she had committed herself to living her life openly, no more hiding, and that could be scary, but she was understanding now that for their sake, her and Brittany, she could do so much more than she thought… Maybe it was actually putting it into words that had freed her… Only now as she sat in the car on the way to the hospital, something else occurred to her.

All this was good and fine, but Brittany still had no idea. She hadn't told her any of it, the only person who'd had any sort of remote idea was Kurt, and she'd sworn him to secrecy. Her and Brittany, they had their fun, but it was never more than that… Santana wouldn't let it. So how could she…

The only remotely tangible evidence she had was a line on a hand drawn family tree, which led to her name, attached to Brittany's. The girl had traced it in herself, so it would seem she did consider her family, not a sister, more than that…

It was all coming together now though, today, of all days… the day she would become a mother and her whole life would change again. She couldn't back her into a corner with it all, it wouldn't be right… If she hadn't waited so damn long…

It was alright though, it was. She could be patient, if for her… She was already so much further than she expected to be… She could hear herself say it. She'd told her parents what she'd never gotten to tell herself: she loved Brittany, truly and completely. She had always disregarded the whole process, but now that she had opened herself to it, it wasn't nearly what she expected. She'd thought that she would hate it, but she didn't. Scared of it a little, yes, but no hate.

It was happening, before long, the baby would be here… After months waiting on him, watching Brittany's belly grow, feeling the kicks, hearing the heartbeat, he would enter the world, and Santana had been completely honest in talking about him to her parents. She wanted to be a part of his life, an important part… She could teach him, help him, protect him… love him… He'd be the most precious little guy in her life… The mere thought of him apparently had the power to soften her up like melted butter…

When their car arrived in the parking lot, she could see all the familiar cars, belonging to the others… They had already arrived.

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)


	4. Step 47, Check In

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: A Little Confidence._

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**"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"**

**4. Step Forty-Seven, Check In**

By the time Will's car had reached the hospital, if there was any speck of doubt that this wasn't the real deal, it was banished. The contractions still had a lot to gain on her, but it wasn't long before she was made to understand this was real, and she hadn't let go of Kurt's hand since. She breathed along, and after a while he could hear her, like she was holding back. A squeak would escape and then she'd give his hand a squeeze as she stared off into who knew what.

"What are you doing?" Kurt asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" her voice snapped, and he was startled. He'd never heard this tone from her. "Sorry…" she told him, her voice unchanged.

"Hey, no, it's fine," he told her, promising himself not to interrupt her again.

"Did… did they call them? All of them?"

"Yes, they'll be there, all of them," he swore, and now he found out what the squeak had been, when she cried out without restraint. "Are we there yet?" Kurt called out to Will.

They were just arriving, and Kurt's promises were proven true as they saw Brittany's mother and Kurt's father already outside the hospital, waiting with a chair and a nurse. They came up when Burt pointed to the car, helping Brittany out and into the chair.

"Where's Dad?" she turned to her mother, reaching out for her hand, which she received.

"He went to get your sister," Helen Pierce promised her daughter.

"Hey, you'll be alright now," Burt Hummel came up to her, touching his son's arm on the way, and the girl managed a smile. "Look, here they come," he told her as they were wheeling her through the doors.

"Who? Who's there? San…" she tried to see.

"It's us," she caught Quinn's voice, and she breathed. "I texted her, she's coming," Quinn promised.

"Come, now, let's get you settled in and you…" the nurse told her, bu then she got to be agitated, trying to dig her feet and stop the chair.

"No, wait!" she begged.

"What's wrong?" Kurt asked, crouching to be at eye level with her once he'd gotten the nurse to stop. Brittany met his eye.

"Not… without her," she insisted, and she didn't have to explain herself further.

"We have to wait for Santana to get here," he 'translated.' They looked ready to argue, but as far as he was concerned, with what she was about to go through, if she wanted something, then he was at her service. "We wait!" he told them, and he felt her hand squeeze his; he squeezed right back.

Mr. Pierce and his younger daughter had arrived a minute later, and at hearing of the hold-up, he tried to reason with his elder daughter, but she wouldn't have it. So they waited, the large group getting some looks. But then Puck had signalled Kurt and he looked up.

"Britt, here she comes," he told her and she turned just in time to see her sprint up.

"Where have you been?" she half-pleaded, half-shouted. Santana came up and took her hand.

"It's okay, I'm here now," she promised, and she knew Brittany couldn't understand just how many meanings were carried in those words, not yet… "Not leaving."

"Good," Brittany nodded. "I need you…"

"You've got me," Santana promised, pulling herself together, just barely.

"Can we go now?" the nurse asked.

"Yes," Kurt spoke for the girl, as he and Santana stood, one on each side and holding to each of Brittany's hands. They weren't leaving.

Brittany was taken to a room, where her parents had helped her settle in. She'd told the others to wait to wait outside; she needed a moment with her family, her first one at least.

As she'd been made to lie in bed, her hands had gone right to her belly, like he would need reassuring for the journey he was about to undertake. She looked up, observing the three of them standing there. Her little sister Melinda stood at the end of the bed, staring from over the board. She didn't know what was about to happen to her big sister, not all of it. Brittany had been specifically told it was probably best to keep it that way for now.

Her mother was folding her clothes, now that she'd changed into her gown, and her father had fixed her pillow about five times already. No one was talking. She had to tell them.

"When I go in, when they get the baby out… It's going to be just the three of us, me, and Kurt, and Santana… Well, four, with him," she indicated her belly.

"Sweetheart, wouldn't you rather have us around with you?" her mother asked softly.

"Yeah, of course I do," she told her, then, "But I think this is how it should be. I have to be… responsible, we need to be the parents now, so we can't have you there," she reasoned. "Please understand…" she looked to both of her parents in turn. Her father, who was already at her side, leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"If that's what you want…"

"Robert…" his wife spoke up.

"Mom, please," she begged her. Helen hesitated some more, but then she sighed.

"I… alright, but we'll be nearby if you change your mind…"

"Thank you," she looked to them, smiling. "I mean it, thank you… for everything. I know… it's not easy for you," she bowed her head.

"You've given us plenty of reasons to be proud of you these past months," her father told her. "This wasn't what we would have wanted for you, not now, but the way you've handled yourself…" he smiled, though she could see he was crying. "You keep saying you want him to be proud of you… I don't see how he wouldn't be," he went on, and now she was the one crying. "I guess this is our cue to go," he told her, and she held out her arms. He hugged her close, and when they let go, her mother was there to do the same. Young Melinda came up last, hugging her big sister close.

"I'll think about you," she told her.

"Please do," Brittany smiled, breathing out. She didn't want Melinda to see her in pain, knowing how freaked out she'd been by accidents and false alarms over the months, but it would get harder the longer she stayed. But then they were leaving, and she knew soon Kurt and Santana would be back with her and there'd be no turning back… Her son would be here soon.

TO BE CONTINUED (WEDNESDAY)


	5. Step 48, Know Where You Stand

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Songs & New Directions._

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**"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"**

**5. Step Forty-Eight, Know Where You Stand**

As they waited in the hall, while Brittany spoke with her parents, Santana could feel Kurt's eyes on her, like he was able to see something was going on with her. On the one hand, part of her would have much rather keep it to herself, but on the other hand there was the part of that not only wanted but needed to talk to someone, and Kurt was kind of it for her choices. She had spent the last few months for the most part denying any suggestion he might make that she loved Brittany, and that she might be a lesbian. Only one time she had taken one cautious step, poked her head out of the closet in a way, and that had been with him. He hadn't pushed her in any real way, and for that she could only be grateful.

But now here she was, just out the door, and there he was, and… she wasn't supposed to hide anymore.

"I told them…" she spoke up, looking one way and the other before turning back to Kurt. He was already looking at her. She let out a breath. She didn't ever need to specify just what she'd said and who she'd told it to, not with this. He took a step toward her.

"You okay?" She shrugged.

"Yeah… We didn't talk much, I kind of just unloaded everything on them, but they didn't freak out or tell me to leave… They gave me a ride," she smiled, and he returned it; he was happy for her.

"So what happens now?" he asked.

"I don't know… Not really sure how it goes for everyone else. I mean what am I supposed to do, walk around with a neon sign, borrow Sylvester's bull horn?" she frowned.

"I meant with her," he pointed to the door, to the room where Brittany was settling in. She blinked, bowing her head.

"Working on that one."

"Are you going to tell her? All of it?"

"I want to," she shrugged. "Today kind of isn't the best day though, I mean she's already about to have to push a human being out of her…"

"Easy," Kurt cut her off and she breathed.

"It's only going to make things more complicated for her right now, wouldn't be right. I promised myself that I would put things in motion by the time the baby was here, and… I did that." After a moment, he came up and wrapped his arms around her. It took her by surprise, but eventually she sighed and hugged him back.

"Felt like the thing to do," he told her as they held.

"Yeah, not as bad as I thought it would be," she teased before they pulled back. When they did, they saw Burt coming their way.

"Everything alright here?" he asked, unsure what was happening or who had initiated the embrace and what for.

"Yeah," Kurt promised, looking back to Santana.

"I'll be right back," she told the Hummel men before moving off. Kurt watched her go, turned back to his father, who now was the one hugging him.

"How are you doing?" Burt asked.

"On a scale of one to ten, how nervous were you when Mom went into labor?"

"I don't know, seventeen?" Burt told him as they looked to one another, and Kurt's face blanched. "Okay, bad timing," Burt squeezed his shoulder. "Everything's going to be fine, just breathe," he instructed. Kurt did so, as best he could. Talking to Santana had briefly distracted him, but now he was right back where he'd been, thinking about what was about to happen.

"I really wish she was here," his voice trembled, like he was only now realizing it. He reached up to brush at his eyes, and Burt pulled him back into his arms.

"Me too," he promised his son. "I've been thinking about her a lot lately, and I'm sure you have, too. I'll tell you what though, I know she'd be proud of the man you're growing up to be… I know I am," Burt looked into his eyes. "Just remember you've still got me, and that's never going to change."

"Thanks, Dad," Kurt breathed.

"I'm going to be right outside that delivery room, if you need me, just come get me, alright?"

"I will," he worked to pull himself together, his tears stopping their flow so he could dry his cheeks, eyes… He knew he was probably going to be a mess again once the baby came, but until then he needed to be strong, to support Brittany… "I don't want to need to, but if I do…"

"… then you come for me," Burt nodded. Kurt smiled, thinking of something.

"Brittany wants his middle name to be Roburt, R-O-B-U-R-T, because it's both our fathers' names together." Burt laughed, touched.

"Well I'd take that over Gurt," he nodded. At Kurt's confused frown, he waved it off. "Private joke between me and her," he claimed, which only further confused his son. "Sounds good to me if you two agree on it. No chance of a sneak peek on the first name?" he smiled.

"We'd have to know it to tell you, and we haven't made up our minds yet," Kurt revealed. "Probably should decide at some point before he starts school…"

"You'll find it. Sometimes all you need is to look at the kid and you know… Not in your case, it was already decided, so I guess it's a good thing that all worked itself out…" Looking up, he could see Santana returning. "How'd your parents pick your name?" he asked, and she must have caught the tail end of the conversation, running with it.

"My mother says she'd been in labor so long she just called me out in the end and the name came to her out of nowhere," she shrugged.

"I can see that," Kurt tilted his head and got a glare for it.

Just then the door to Brittany's room opened and her mother, father, and sister came out. Looking at them, Santana had to think all of a sudden… What about them? Did they have any idea of what she and their daughter had been up to? Once she told Brittany what she'd done that day, and if they became something together, she'd have to tell them… How would they take it? She blinked, pushed the thought back… Not today.

"Well, you know where we'll be," Burt looked to his son, to Santana. Kurt met the Pierces' gaze, gave a silent nod: he would be there for Brittany, he promised. To his surprise, that got him a hug from Helen Pierce. After she'd pulled away, Kurt and Santana turned back to the room, opening the door and shutting it once they were inside. They approached Brittany, who was looking back at them, breathing, knowing as well as they did that, by their own design, they were now on their own.

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)


	6. Step 49, Find a Name

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Waning Days._

* * *

**"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"**

**6. Step Forty-Nine, Pick a Name**

As Brittany's contractions growing closer together and the occasional visits from the doctor made clear, they were getting ever closer as time went on. Kurt and Santana took it upon themselves to not only help her but also make sure she was occupied and wouldn't freak out. They would talk her through her contractions, which seemed to work, and prevented Brittany from crushing their hands. There came one time though, when they were running out of topics, and the two helpers looked to each other, franticly trying to come up with something. Finally, Kurt had looked over to Brittany with an idea.

"So my dad was asking about the name before. I told him we hadn't come up with anything yet. I did also tell him about your idea for the middle name though, and I think he liked it. But for a first name, we still have to…"

"Harry…" Brittany breathed, and they turned to her.

"What?" Kurt felt an odd flutter, coming closer to her. "What'd you say?"

"Harry, his name should be Harry… Not all our family was nice was nice about him coming, but others were… He should be named after good people… like my grandpa Harlan… and your aunt Mary… Harlan and Mary, that's… Harry…" she explained bit by bit. Kurt felt the flutter evolve into outright sobbing as he smiled and nodded. Santana for her part was tearing up as well, pressing her lips to the hand she held.

"It is, that's his name, that's our son," he agreed, thinking of his father out in the hall somewhere, who would want to know but would also have to wait. If they had known back when Burt had asked, Kurt still wouldn't have told him, wanting it to be a surprise.

"You think so?" Brittany looked as much at peace as ever, as things calmed down again, and she looked to the pair of them, head lolling from side to side to see their faces. Kurt gave her a nod.

"Yes," Santana promised, brushing hair out of the blonde's face. "And soon he'll be here, and you can tell him yourself," she told her, and the blue eyes relaxed shut.

"He is, he's going to be here… We're not going to mess it up, are we?" she asked, almost asking herself.

"We won't," Kurt told her. "We'll take care of him, and we'll provide for him. Our parents have all said they'll help, but we'll be a big part of that, too. Right now the priority is the same as we've said this whole time. We finish high school, we go to college. Right now all we can do is work part-time, but that's alright… We're lucky. We have people all around us who want us to succeed as much as we want to. It'll take time for all of us to adjust, but I have no doubt in my mind that we can pull through… all of us," Kurt bowed his head, and Santana knew he was addressing this to her as well… He was giving her an in, to go as far as she was ready to. She didn't ignore it.

"And you've got me, too. I'll get a job, too. Then I can help," she told Brittany, who turned her eyes up to her.

"You will?" she asked.

"Hey, I want Harry to have the best, too," she smiled, and hearing the name slipped in the conversation was the clincher for Brittany to smile. All she wanted was for her son to be loved and cared for, to not be seen as a burden or an accident, and with all they were telling her, she could see her wish come true.

"I love you guys," she hummed, breathing as Kurt and Santana looked to one another, oddly amused.

"They didn't give her something while we weren't looking, did they?" Santana joked, looking at the near-loopy girl.

"I think her moods broke open and now she's trying them all on," he shook his head. "Should have heard her earlier, she sounded… well, like you…" he turned to Santana, and she would have complained, but then…

"Dance with me?" Brittany tugged at her hand, and Santana smirked to her.

"Maybe later," she promised, just as the blonde's face changed.

"Oh, not again, please?" she shook her head, and Kurt and Santana were back on the clock.

It wasn't long though that the doctor would return, and when she did, it came with some news. Brittany had progressed and was ready to be moved to delivery. Kurt gulped air like he was on shortage, while Santana felt an overwhelming sense of urgency take her.

"Both of you will be coming with her?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, they're coming," Brittany's loopy self had vacated, as she snapped at the doctor.

"It's okay, she's just…" Kurt started to explain, but the woman stopped him.

"Don't worry, it's normal," she smiled. "Let's get going then."

"Is she out there?" Brittany panted, looking to the other two as the bed was moving. They knew what she meant: Melinda, her little sister. She wouldn't have her see her like this.

"I've got it. I'll meet you there, okay?" she gave Brittany a quick look before moving ahead and into the hall, finding young Melinda Pierce was indeed there, with her parents and Burt. She was laid out on the chairs with her head on her father's rolled up jacket, like she'd been sleeping, but the activity was waking her, and Santana crouched before her, obscuring her view of anything behind her.

"Hey, Mel, did you fall asleep?" she hushed, stroking the side of her face, all in an attempt to get her back to sleep. She would do it all the time with her own little sister.

"Yeah…" the sleepy voice mumbled.

"That's good, you just go back to it, okay?" she smiled, and the girl nodded, curling back in to sleep. "Alright…" Santana looked up, seeing the group disappearing off, the two soon-to-be grandfathers following their son and daughter. She gave a nod to Mrs. Pierce, who was staying behind with Melinda, before running up to return where she belonged.

TO BE CONTINUED (SATURDAY)


	7. Step 50, Hear the Cries

_A/N: I was getting all emotional... my mother laughed... or well she rolled her eyes... But you guys won't roll your eyes at me, will you? ;)_

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**"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"**

**7. Step Fifty, Hear the Cries**

Making it to the delivery room, with all necessary preparations, had been a surreal moment for all of them. This was it, soon there would be the baby boy they had been expecting all these months. As they came to stand on either side of her, Brittany looked afraid all of a sudden, and when they grasped her hands, they found out why.

"What if I do it wrong?" she asked. Santana bit back a smile.

"You won't, trust me," Kurt told her. "You've been amazing this whole time. You're almost there, we've got you, so let's do it," he nodded, and she mimicked him.

When she was first told to push, her face had focused, like she was running through something in her head, and even as she bore down, they could see her lips mouthing words along. Once she could pause, she was still doing it.

"Brittany? What are you…" Kurt asked.

"Don't distract me!" she muttered quickly, picking up her silent reciting. Whatever she was doing, which Santana would rightly guess to be her going through what she had been told of what would happen and what she to do, it seemed to be working for her at first, so they didn't stop her.

They guessed it wasn't enough anymore when her silent mantra ripped into outright yelling, which gave Kurt and Santana their cue to try and talk her through it once again.

"Come on, Britt, you're doing so good!" Santana told her.

"That's it, keep pushing!" Kurt followed.

"So that's why they were screaming!" she shouted, ignoring them both, though giving their hands a mighty squeeze which buckled their knees simultaneously. They had to power through it quick, knowing it didn't compare to what she was going through, so they continued to encourage her, feeling like the temperature had cranked up so high that they were losing all sense of time. Hearing the doctor tell them what was happening was the best they could hope for in knowing what was happening.

"You're almost there…" Santana was near tears as both she and Kurt huddled about the tired Brittany. "Come on, one more big one," she nodded.

"One more big one…" Brittany breathed, blinking, breathing deep; she was getting ready.

"Yes, that's it," Kurt was feeling his heart drum nervously. "Go, Brittany…"

"Come on, Harry…" she hummed before giving her all, everything she had left, taking all that the people she loved were giving her, and she could hear them calling 'come on, Harry' as well. That was the last thing she heard before she cried out, and then she felt… she wasn't sure how to describe it, but the next thing she knew she just stopped. She stopped, and her ears were gifted with the shrill sound of a baby's cries and… she laughed, barely breathing.

"You… you did it… He's here… it… it is a he, right?" Kurt looked stunned, more so as the doctor had raised up the newborn and placed him on his mother's chest.

"Yes, it's a he," the woman confirmed with a smile as Brittany reached a shaking hand to touch his back, tears flowing as she looked to him. Santana, at her side, could see him, and there was no power in her not to keep crying.

"Britt, he's beautiful…" she smiled, feeling a knot in her throat.

Kurt was still running on auto pilot, too many emotions working their way through him at once. He was asked if he would cut the cord and he had a brief terror that they would give him the scissors and he would somehow wound his boy's fragile flesh, but he blinked it away and nodded. He was given the tool, told where to cut, and he did it. Little Harry was taken to be checked out, cleaned…

"Santana…" Brittany looked to her, and she knew what she wanted, she moved up to be her eyes while the baby was out of her sight. Whatever was happening, she would know, as the information was relayed to her. What it summed up to though was that the boy was good and healthy, every little piece of good news reinvigorated her smile, as she recovered from the whole event.

When the baby was able to be returned to her though, as she could see Kurt standing there, still speechless, she had told the nurse to hand Harry to his father.

The moment they had placed him in his arms, it was like a shock to the system, waking him, and he gasped, smiling… There was his son, right there, real, and breathing and moving and staring maybe not directly at him but in his general direction.

"H-hi… Hello… I can't believe it, you're really here…" he breathed, sniffling back tears. "Right, you don't know who I am… That's alright. We've spoken before, but you were inside your mother, you probably don't remember. I'm Kurt, and… I'm your father." He had to pause, letting it sink in…

All these months, he had been preparing, with no idea of what this moment would be like. He just remembered all these little moments though… big moments really… The first time he'd seen him on that screen, hearing his heartbeat, finding out he was a boy, feeling him kick… Every last moment had been leading up to this, and now he knew what his father had been telling him, about the day when he was born, and when Burt had held him for the first time… Love at first sight.

Not once had he ever thought that he could turn away from Brittany when they had found out they were going to have this baby. Now he knew that, if he had, it would have been the biggest mistake of his life. His son was brand new, had done little more than cry and breathe, but that was just it, he was brand new. He had potential, a whole life ahead of him, and the thought that he could have ever missed out on that filled him with regret even though it wasn't ever going to happen. He would be in his son's life, from this moment on.

"Should I go tell them he's here?" Santana looked to Brittany.

"Yeah, can you?" she asked, and Santana bowed her head. Before she could get away, Brittany had gotten hold of her arm so she would turn back. "Couldn't have done it without you…" Santana smiled. She could have told her something like 'of course you would have,' but she didn't argue with her.

"I'll be right back, okay?" Brittany nodded, so she went, smiling to herself as she watched Kurt, so mesmerized by the child in his arms. She knew, like Brittany was thankful to her, she was thankful to him. He had gotten her to wise up, kept her from missing out on… all this. They were all in this together, and he had never kept her away, always included her, even when she didn't know she wanted to be. Now it was time to share the joy, the news of baby Harry's arrival.

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)


	8. Step 51, Share the Love

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Almost & Just Nearly._

* * *

**"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"**

**8. Step Fifty-One, Share the Love**

When the door had opened, the waiting grandparents looked up, Santana could see from their faces they had heard the baby's cries already. She gave them a smile. "How is he, how's Brittany?" Helen Pierce asked, standing with her younger daughter sleeping against her.

"She did great," Santana promised, barely able to contain her smile. "And he's perfect, he's just… Well, go on and see when you can," she nodded back to the room. "I have to go tell the others, I… Want me to take her?" she indicated Melinda.

"I'm awake…" the girl mumbled. "Can I see the baby now?" she asked, rubbing at her eyes. Mrs. Pierce gave a quiet nod to Santana as though to say 'go on, I've got her,' so she moved on to the waiting room on her own, while the Hummel and Pierce families waited to be let in. When they were, they found Kurt still with the newborn in his arms, near to the bed so that Brittany could see him, too.

"Hey…" Burt spoke, and the two new parents looked up. "Can we come in?"

"Of course you can," Kurt smiled to his father before looking to Brittany, who quickly nodded. He walked up, gaze fixing with his father before looking back down to his son and handing him to his eager grandfather.

"Look at the little peanut," Burt's eyes watered at the sight of him. It was a blast from the past, thinking of not that long ago holding his own baby boy… He could swear they had the same nose.

"The little peanut's name is Harry," Kurt announced with pride, looking to the Pierces as well as his father, before turning his eyes back to his son.

"Can I see him?" Melinda asked, craning her neck as she was now back on her feet. Burt came and crouched before her, so that the small Pierce girl could meet her nephew. "Can I touch him? I'll be careful."

"I know you will," Kurt nodded to her, so she reached out, finding the tiny hand poking from his blanket. She took it with two of her own fingers, not even pressing.

"Hi," she smiled. Helen Pierce moved to her daughter's bedside, reaching to brush at her face and leaning to kiss her forehead.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Too much," was Brittany's estimation, and her mother just smiled. "Did you see him, Mom?" she asked, voiced filled in exhaustion and joy at once.

"I did," she promised. "He reminds me of you." Looking to her daughter, Helen could see she was not the same girl she was nine months ago. She was still her, still Brittany, but she had changed, in preparation for Harry, and Helen knew it was as she'd promised. She hadn't needed her there in the delivery room. As hard as things would be due to their circumstances, her focus now was to be a good mother to her son, in every which way this was to happen, whether it was looking after his personal needs, or making sure she finished school. She had grown as he had grown.

X

The waiting room had been filled with those of Glee Club who weren't off with Brittany, along with Will and Mr. & Mrs. Lopez, who had stayed after dropping off their daughter. Some of them slept, some were eating, others had orchestrated a game of cards, and the rest just sat, waiting.

"It's really been that long, hasn't it…" Tina thought aloud as she waited her turn, cards in hand. "Seems like yesterday that she told us she was pregnant."

"Time just goes by," Quinn spoke, just sitting at her side, having tried and failed to sleep.

"You okay?" Rachel asked, and the blonde looked up. "I mean… being here, after you…" she seemed to regret having said a thing.

"Not really…" Quinn replied honestly. "But I want to be here," she assured Rachel and all of them. "For Brittany, and Kurt, and Santana," she explained.

The Lopez parents looked up at the mention of their daughter's name, and if there was any doubt that anyone else knew her secret, it went away as far as Quinn, deciding that she knew… But then they would have expected no less from her, knowing how close she was to their daughter and to Brittany. The rest of them, their club, they were close, too, so maybe…

They looked up as they spotted their daughter coming toward the waiting room. If her declaration had been rushed by necessity, seeing the look in her eyes now, even from far away, it told them everything they needed to know. Everything she'd told them was true, every last word, none more than the love she had in her heart for the child that would be born that day, and for his mother most of all.

"Guys," Mike was the one to call attention to her arrival, so the others would look over, waking the sleeping ones.

'What happened?" Will asked. "Is it…"

"Brittany had the baby, a beautiful and healthy baby boy," she announced, and the others reacted accordingly. When she felt arms wrap around her, it took her a moment to realize it was her mother, and when she did she hugged her back, held tight. Her emotions had been put through the ringer all day, and she just felt every one of them that much more intensely. This embrace meant everything to her.

"Can we go see him?" Puck asked.

"Let's give them some time first," Will suggested to him, and they agreed.

"We should go to the gift shop," Rachel bolted with the idea, and half of them followed.

"I'm going to go back there," Santana told her mother.

"Wait, here," Mrs. Lopez moved to get a bag from the table. "Thought you might be hungry. It's not much, but it'll do for now," she handed her the bag. Santana smiled.

"Thank you," she breathed, kissing her cheek before heading back down to find Brittany and the others.

TO BE CONTINUED (TUESDAY)


	9. Step 52, Hold Safe

_A/N: Final chapter (of this story, not the series) tomorrow!_

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**"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"**

**9. Step Fifty-Two, Hold Safe**

When Brittany had finally been returned to her room, along with Harry, Burt and the Pierces had accompanied Kurt as he went to see all those who had been waiting around through the hours. This had left mother and son alone along with Santana. Both girls looked to the baby resting there with a sort of amazement and amusement.

"Still can't believe that came out of you," Santana shook her head to herself.

"You were there, you saw it," Brittany pointed out.

"I know, I meant… You've got a kid now, it's all happened, he's here… so fast…" she looked back to Brittany, found her in the middle of what Santana easily recognized as her trying not to show she was falling asleep. "You should get some sleep."

"I can't, what if he…" she pointed to the baby. Santana came around to sit on the edge of the bed, taking the blonde's hand.

"You won't be any good to him this tired. Really, it's okay, I'll keep an eye on him, he'll be fine." Brittany still looked hesitant to do this, but Santana's careful running of her thumb along the side of her hand had pulled her deeper into the grips of sleep, and soon she was starting to doze off.

"Not… not long, okay?" she yawned.

"Sure, you got it. Now close your eyes." Brittany obeyed the command, and within seconds she had drifted off. Santana had stayed there for a moment, making sure she was good and asleep before she would move away from her.

She'd walked back quietly around the bed, taking a seat on the small couch. She was a bit tired herself, but more than anything she was hungry, so she pulled up the bag her mother had given her. The first thing her eyes had fallen on was a sandwich, and she made quick work of unwrapping it and biting into the first half. She usually wasn't a fan of hospital food, but at the moment it was doing its job, and that was good enough for her. Before she knew it she was working her way through the second half, and that was when Harry had started to fuss.

Santana had quickly put her quarter of a sandwich down, dusting her fingers off as she approached the boy. "Hey, shh, it's okay…" she hushed, laying a careful hand on his stomach. He was very close to full blown crying, and that would have meant waking Brittany. "Shorty, hey, you're alright, please? Don't want to wake up your mom after she just got you here, do you?" she asked in the same soft voice.

Harry wasn't having it, and Santana had to make up her mind. She'd never once held him yet since he was born, and not unlike the first time Brittany had gotten her to feel for his movements, she was kind of gun shy about it. He wasn't giving her much of a choice right now.

"Alright, Shorty, come here," she had reached down, so very carefully picking him up into her arms. Once he was there, cradled against her, it was no more than three or four seconds before he had calmed. "There, that's better, isn't it?" she smiled, looking at him… He really was perfect… "You try and get some rest, too, now, you…" she tried to put him down, which only got him going again. "Are you serious? You figured that one out already?" she picked him up again, and he calmed again. "Well aren't you a clever boy?" Santana smiled, then sighed, moving to sit on the couch with him.

This was as close as she'd ever been to him, and to look at him now, she wasn't sure she could ever let him go.

"Hey, now. You might not remember this because you were not born yet… and also you're a baby… but you and I have spoken before. Or… I talked, and I assumed you listened, but anyway… That one there in the bed, sleeping, that's your mom. And the one who was holding you before, the first one, that was your dad, he'll be back in a little bit, don't worry. And me, I'm…" She paused, thinking about how she was sitting there, trying to explain something to someone who was still firing off his first thoughts, when she herself was still trying to situate her place in this picture. "Well, I'm the other one… No title yet, but let's just say I'm working on it."

She wasn't going to be getting any sort of reply from him, just like she wasn't going to get one when she'd talk to him through Brittany's belly. It was an easy escape. It felt like she was actually talking to someone, but they couldn't reply, argue, or disagree with her.

"You know, I'm starting to think you came late on purpose," she nodded. "You heard me, I see what you're up to," she played. Harry just laid there in her arms, oblivious. "Alright, maybe not," she smirked. "Just figures you'd be this adorable, with who you came from," she told him, taking his hand in hers. "You lucked out, as parents go. People might tell you otherwise, but I'm telling you this, and you do your best to hold it in that new brain of yours, okay? You have a mom and dad who've done everything in their power to give you what you need, love most of all… I can tell you first-hand what that feels like… Your dad, he's looked out for me in ways I never would have expected. And your mom…"

She looked to the bed, to the sleeping blonde, smiling to herself.

"Your mom is beyond words. There's no one better out there if you ask me, and maybe I'm biased, loving her so much…" she breathed, smiling to herself. "Second time I've said it today… Makes me wonder why I've never done it before… Maybe one day soon, I'll actually get around to saying it to her. She should be the one hearing it, shouldn't she?" she thought to herself, then blinking back to reality, she refocused herself on the baby boy. "Something else about your mom, she's a kicka… Kick butt dancer," she corrected herself. Kurt just might have smacked her on that one. "Let's see those feet, Shorty," she uncovered his legs, inspecting one little pink foot.

Just looking at something like a foot, she could imagine… Brittany dancing with him, before and after he could walk. And she could see herself in that picture, too.

"Yep, just as I thought," she breathed, smiling to Harry. "That is one fine foot, well done." Looking at him, she couldn't understand why she'd been so scared. She knew that, just as for his mother, for Harry Hummel Pierce she would do just about anything.

TO BE CONCLUDED (TOMORROW)


	10. Step 53, Give Love

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Would That She Had Been Queen._

* * *

**"Steps 44-53, Breathe & Push"**

**10. Step Fifty-Three, Give Love**

When Brittany had woken again, she found Kurt asleep in a chair at her bedside. On the other side, there was Santana on a couch, with the baby in her arms, quietly looking at him. She was so glad to know she had been there the whole time, not just because it had been hard and painful and Santana had supported her, but… Even if the picture she had in her mind was blurry still, waiting to be filled in with reality, she knew Santana belonged in it, and to look back on this day knowing she wouldn't have been there would have felt so unfortunate. She had been there though, and it became a memory in her heart as well. Brittany couldn't have asked for more.

"Hey…" she spoke, getting Santana's attention. She got up, walking up to her.

"Welcome back, Mama," she smiled, turning so Harry could see her, and Brittany brightened instantly. "Feel better?" she asked, coming to carefully hand Harry to her.

"Did I sleep long?" Brittany asked, smiling down to her son.

"Couple of hours," Santana told her.

"Is everyone still here?" Brittany remembered, and Santana nodded. "Can they come and see us?" he asked.

"Yeah, want me to go get them?" Brittany nodded. "Alright, be right back."

"Santana?" Brittany spoke before she could go. When she turned back, Brittany hesitated, then, "Thank you for watching him."

"It was my pleasure," Santana promised her before heading off to get the others.

Brittany had wanted to tell her… something, not even having a clue of what it really was. Maybe her head was still swimming in post-labor haze. She knew it in her heart, but it wouldn't translate.

Harry had made a noise and she'd looked back to him. It almost felt like the first time she really got to hold him since he was born. He'd been going from one person to the next since they'd taken him off of her, and that had kind of been by her design. He'd been held by Kurt, then Burt, then her parents, and Santana… Each one of them had looked on to the boy and communicated so much love… She couldn't have asked for better.

"You are loved," she told him with a smile. "I'm always going to do my best so you can see that, okay? I promise," she leaned in to press her lips to his forehead. "We're not like most families," she revealed. "But we are a family. We take care of each other, protect each other… love each other…" she smiled, seeing her son's first crack at a smile, or maybe just what looked like one to her. "I know I was really scared in the beginning, thinking that this was going to happen, that it was going to change my life. And… you did change my life. You made it better," she whispered, looking into his eyes.

"Hope we're still saying that when it's all diapers and middle of the night feedings…" She looked to the side, seeing Kurt had woken up.

"We will," Brittany promised. "Santana went to get the others and bring them to meet Harry," she informed him, and he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, standing to stretch. He came up to the bed, looking in on the newborn. "I think he tried to smile," she reported. "Didn't quite get there, but it was cute. Can't wait until we get him home… My house or yours?" she wondered.

"Yours," he nodded. "Figured you might want to sleep in your own bed, be in your own things… Think your parents might want that, too…" she agreed.

A moment later, Santana returned, ushering in the parade of visitors. It was probably much too many people at once in the room, but none of them was going to point it out unless it became an issue. As it was, they were all too taken with the sight of the baby. There was a rumble of noises as they got a look at him, and it made the new parents smirk proudly.

"Can we know his name?" Puck asked. "They've been keeping that secret tighter than classified information." Santana gave him a frown, but the wait was dealt with by Brittany.

"His name is Harry," she announced, bringing a new round of noises. "That's everyone," she looked to the baby, indicating the group as best she could while holding him. "That's Quinn, and Rachel, and Mike, and Mr. Schuester, and…" she continued down the line, finally noticing, "Oh, hi!" she smiled, seeing Santana's parents. "I didn't know you were still here… you stayed?" They nodded, smiling, and Brittany looked to Santana, who was looking to them with quiet gratitude.

Brittany looked at all of them, and she thought about the next few years. If she was going to be graduating high school in under two years, then hopefully go to college, then would Harry even really get to know all of them? She didn't think so, but oh she hoped so. They had all been part of her support system over the last few months, would perhaps continue to be… She could only hope that he would retain some of it.

When Quinn had been the first to ask if she could hold him, Brittany had just smiled. Outside of Kurt and Santana, Quinn had been one of if not their biggest help in all this. So she had handed him over to her, and Harry worked what Brittany would call his 'baby magic,' bringing the girl to smile so happily. After this it had been Mr. Schuester who had held him, and then a very cautious Rachel.

Eventually though they had been forced to vacate the crowded room, leaving only Brittany, Kurt, and their son. Santana had left with a look to promise she'd be back.

"Big day," Kurt breathed, unsure how long it had been since they'd left the choir room, because to him it felt like a second.

"The biggest," Brittany agreed, indicating for him to sit on the bed with her before she handed Harry back to him. "Should we sing? Isn't that what we do?"

"I don't know… a little wiped for singing," he admitted, showing exhaustion.

"Yeah, me too," she admitted as well.

"There'll be plenty of time for that later though," he promised, and she smiled.

"I like the sound of that."

THE END

_A/N: End of the story, not the series ;)_


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